For third day in a row, Spokane’s smoky air measures in ‘unhealthy’ category
UPDATED: Wed., Aug. 15, 2018, 7:35 a.m.
Air quality in Spokane remains in the “unhealthy” category for the third straight day.
Inland Northwest Air Quality
Spokane starts Tuesday morning with unhealthy air
UPDATED: Tue., Aug. 14, 2018, 10:03 p.m.
Spokane woke up to unhealthy air for the second straight day on Tuesday.
Air quality ‘unhealthy’ in Spokane, North Idaho, Northeastern Washington
UPDATED: Mon., Aug. 13, 2018, 5:12 p.m.
Wildfire smoke that has blanketed Northeastern Washington and North Idaho, creating unhealthy breathing conditions, is expected to linger through much of the week, experts said.
Unhealthy, smoky air prompts health warnings, forces closure of Spokane pools
UPDATED: Wed., Aug. 8, 2018, 10:27 p.m.
The city’s six public swimming pools will be closed while choking conditions persist in Spokane, limiting access to a free relief from potential record-breaking heat. The city’s splash pads will be open for those seeking cool waters as temperatures climb.
Report: Oregon’s inspection backlog endangers air quality
UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 4, 2018, 5:49 p.m.
State auditors say the state environmental agency’s backlog of inspections and permits could endanger Oregon’s air quality and residents’ health.
Stagnant air causing health concerns in Salmon area
Fri., Dec. 29, 2017, 12:06 p.m.
Idaho officials say air quality is in the unhealthy range in the east-central Idaho town of Salmon and surrounding area due to stagnant air that has elevated pollutant levels.
Air deemed clean enough for Friday’s Pac-12 game between Cal, Washington State
UPDATED: Fri., Oct. 13, 2017, 6:43 p.m.
Officials from the Pac-12 Conference and the University of California, Berkeley monitored the situation the days leading up to Friday’s game between Cal and Washington State, but determined the air was clean enough to play football.
‘Unhealthy’ air moves out
UPDATED: Fri., Sept. 15, 2017, 4:17 p.m.
Better air moved into Spokane Friday after a polluted start. Air quality was rated “unhealthy” as of 7:15 a.m. by the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency. But it had improved into the “moderate” category as the day moved on.
Smoky air returns to Spokane, likely to stay until the weekend
UPDATED: Thu., Sept. 14, 2017, 7:40 p.m.
Light northeasterly winds are bringing Montana wildfire smoke back into the Inland Northwest. Until winds shift Saturday, it’s likely the skies will remain hazy and unhealthy for groups sensitive to poor air.
Finally able to play, Post Falls rallies to top University 37-27
UPDATED: Sat., Sept. 9, 2017, 5:40 p.m.
Post Falls coach Blaine Bennett firmly believed his team’s freshness was the difference late, as the visiting Trojans rallied for a 37-27 win over the University Titans in a nonleague game on Saturday.
Blog Posts
Statewide air quality alert lifted due to improvement in eastern Idaho, but most of state still under pall
Fri., Sept. 8, 2017, 12:58 p.m.
It may not look like it, but on a statewide basis, air quality has improved in Idaho, and the DEQ allowed its statewide air quality alert for wildfire smoke to expire at 10 a.m. today – though regional advisories continue in most areas with all...
DEQ issues statewide air quality alert; all open burning banned, including campfires
Tue., Sept. 5, 2017, 9:56 a.m.
The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality has issued a rare statewide air quality advisory, running through 10 a.m. Thursday. “Air quality is in the moderate to very unhealthy categories throughout most of the state, and is forecast to remain that way for the next 24...
Boise air quality hits unhealthy levels due to wildfire smoke
Tue., Sept. 5, 2017, 7:52 a.m.
Boise smells like a campfire this morning, as heavy, acrid smoke from wildfires descends on the city for another day; it’s been getting worse every day. According to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, Boise’s air hit unhealthy levels this morning at 8 a.m., with...
North Idaho air quality hits unhealthy levels
Thu., Aug. 27, 2015, 8:23 a.m.
The air quality in North Idaho reached hazardous levels Wednesday due to smoke from multiple wildfires. According to AirNow, a government resource which provides daily Air Quality Index readings for more than 400 cities, conditions in Coeur d'Alene were unhealthy on Wednesday. That rating, determined...
DEQ extends statewide air quality advisory through the weekend, all open burning prohibited
Fri., Aug. 21, 2015, 2:20 p.m.
The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality has extended its statewide air quality advisory through the weekend, due to continuing smoke impacts from wildfires. “Air quality remains in the moderate to unhealthy categories throughout most of the state. Although changing weather may bring intermittent periods of...
DEQ issues rare statewide air quality advisory
Wed., Aug. 19, 2015, 12:47 p.m.
The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality has issued a rare statewide air quality advisory, with smoke from wildfires pushing air quality into at least the moderate to unhealthy range everywhere in the state, and in some areas near the north-central Idaho wildfires, into the “very...
It’s a hazy smoky day out there
Mon., Aug. 3, 2015, 1:15 p.m.
Shot this little video around noon from the roof top of The Spokesman-Review building downtown.
Weather Service: Blame Siberia for last night’s red sunset…
Mon., April 20, 2015, 7:42 a.m.
Last night’s Boise sunset featured a sullenly glowing red sun, looking more like a Los Angeles sunset than an Idaho one. Here’s a news item from the Associated Press suggesting the cause was far-off fires in Khakassia, a region in southeastern Siberia: PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)...
Smoke plume from California wildfire rolls into Boise, blankets valley
Thu., Sept. 18, 2014, 8:44 a.m.
Foul-smelling smoke from a huge wildfire in northern California that's burned hundreds of homes and other structures rolled into Boise this morning, limiting visibility, diminishing air quality and staining the sky a brownish-grey. “With the way the jet stream’s going and the wind patterns, we...
How often do you check this?
Tue., July 22, 2014, 8 a.m.
https://www.spokanecleanair.org/current-air-quality
Wildfire smoke arrives in Boise, likely to stick around for ‘a couple of weeks’
Wed., July 16, 2014, 1:24 p.m.
The familiar scent of wildfire smoke began wafting into town yesterday, and today it’s noticeably smoky in Boise. Smoke from the Whiskey Complex of fires in the Garden Valley area, along with some from fires in Oregon, filtered into the Treasure Valley overnight, and higher-level...
Now’s your chance to comment on air quality standards
Tue., Aug. 20, 2013, 6:30 a.m.
The public is invited to comment on proposed changes to state air quality standards for specific pollutants so they align with federal standards. The Washington Department of Ecology is seeking comments about incorporating the updated standards in Washington’s federally required State Implementation Plan. The plan...
Smoke socking in mountain valleys, H&W advises limiting outdoor activity
Mon., Aug. 12, 2013, 2:30 p.m.
Yep, it's looking awfully smoky out in Boise, and now comes this word from the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare: Air quality in some parts of the central Idaho mountains has reached the "unhealthy" or "unhealthy for sensitive groups" level, and they're alerting people...
Statewide Stage 1 air quality alert issued…
Fri., Sept. 21, 2012, 4:56 p.m.
The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality has issued a statewide Stage 1 air quality alert, banning open burning all through the state. It's in effect through the weekend; conditions will be re-evaluated Monday morning on a county-by-county basis. The ban includes campfires, recreational, warming, weed...
Treasure Valley air quality deteriorates…
Thu., Sept. 20, 2012, 9:48 a.m.
Yuck. The sunrise was bright orange again, and now the sky is brown. Wildfire smoke is settling densely over the Treasure Valley, pushing air pollution levels up. Today's air quality is predicted to be in the "upper moderate" range, a range that stretches from 50...
After 11-day break, smoke pushes valley air quality out of good range again
Thu., Sept. 13, 2012, 8:39 a.m.
Well, the Treasure Valley's break from the wildfire smoke lasted exactly 11 days, and then yesterday, smoke came pouring back in, this time from the opposite direction, the northwest. Air quality broke out of the "good" category into the "moderate" range yesterday, and that's where...
Heavy smoke in Salmon prompts health advisory, Treasure Valley’s air inches into ‘good’ range
Tue., Sept. 4, 2012, 2:38 p.m.
Air quality in Lemhi and Custer counties has hit the "very unhealthy" category, prompting warnings from the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare to stay indoors as much as possible; older adults, young children and those with medical conditions will be most affected, but it's...
Wildfire smoke prompts Stage 1 air quality alert, all open burning banned in 10 southern Idaho counties
Mon., Aug. 13, 2012, 2:35 p.m.
The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality has issued a Stage 1 Air Quality Alert for 10 southern Idaho counties, including mandatory bans on all open burning. The counties affected are Ada, Boise, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, Washington, Lemhi and Custer. The DEQ has also...
Air quality moves into unhealthy range, outdoor k.d. lang concert canceled
Thu., July 12, 2012, 12:18 p.m.
The Treasure Valley's air quality has gotten so bad - with an orange air quality alert issued by the state DEQ - that tonight's scheduled k.d. lang concert at the Eagle River Pavilion has been canceled. CTTouring announced the cancellation "due to the poor air...
No consensus on Idaho field-burning changes
Wed., April 18, 2012, 12:55 p.m.
Possible changes to Idaho's field-burning regulations still are up in the air after an advisory panel of farmers, health advocates and regulators agreed today that some weekend burning could be considered, but couldn't reach a consensus on whether to allow more burning when ozone pollution...
Guest Post: House Plants You Can Use As Air Purifiers
Thu., May 19, 2011, 3 p.m.
A lot of people tend to forget about the many benefits that can be given by a normal house plant. They have become more of an aesthetic than anything, and as a society we forget about the many functions that a plant has and how...
Trace levels of I-131 detected in Idaho air, drinking water, rainwater and milk
Wed., April 13, 2011, 1:47 p.m.
Trace levels of radioactive iodine-131 have now been detected in air, drinking water, rainwater and milk in Idaho, the state DEQ, Department of Agriculture and Department of Health & Welfare report in a joint news release, but "the levels detected are far below levels of...